The usefulness of ultrasound before induction of labor.

The indications for induction of labor have been consistently on the rise. These indications are mainly medical (maternal or fetal) or social or related to convenience or maternal preferences. With the increase in the prevalence of these indications, the incidence rates of induction of labor are expected to rise continuously. This poses a substantial workload and financial burden on maternity healthcare systems. Failure rates of induction of labor are relatively high, especially when considering the maternal, fetal, and neonatal risks associated with emergency cesarean deliveries in cases of failure. Therefore, it is essential for obstetricians to carefully select women who are eligible for induction of labor, particularly those with no clinical contraindication and who have a reasonable chance of ending up with a successful noncomplicated vaginal delivery. Ultrasound has an established role in the various areas of obstetrical care. It is available, accessible, easy to perform, and acceptable to the patient. In addition, the learning curve for skillful obstetrical ultrasound scanning is rather easy to fulfill. Ultrasound has always had an important role in the assessment of maternal and fetal well-being. Indeed, it has been extensively explored as a reliable, reproducible, and objective tool in the management of labor. In this review, we aimed to provide a comprehensive update on the different applications and uses of ultrasound before induction of labor for the prediction of its success and the potential improvement of its health-related maternal and fetal outcomes.

Quantitative-fluorescent-PCR versus full karyotyping in prenatal diagnosis of common chromosome aneuploidies in southern Spain.

BACKGROUND: Quantitative-fluorescent polymerase chain reaction (QF-PCR) is a reliable, rapid, and economic technique for prenatal diagnosis of the most common abnormalities. However, conventional karyotyping is expensive and requires a much longer time to yield results. It is currently under debate whether the replacement or restriction of karyotyping reduces the quality of prenatal test results. This study was undertaken to determine the percentage of clinically significant chromosomal abnormalities that would not be detected if QF-PCR was the main analysis method and karyotyping reserved for cases with increased nuchal translucency (NT) and/or abnormal ultrasound findings and to estimate the difference in cost between QF-PCR and full karyotyping. METHODS: Nine hundred twenty-eight pregnant women underwent an invasive procedure at our center between May 2009 and December 2012, yielding 580 (62.5%) chorionic villous samples and 348 (37.5%) amniotic fluid samples. Samples were studied by both QF-PCR and full karyotyping. Karyotyping and detailed ultrasound findings were retrospectively analyzed. RESULTS: If QF-PCR was the main analytic method and full karyotyping reserved for cases with elevated NT (≥4.5) and/or abnormal ultrasound findings, 12.7% of the patients would have required full karyotyping, 99% of the clinically significant chromosomal abnormalities would have been detected, and the cost would have been 54% lower than a policy of full karyotyping for all. CONCLUSIONS: Detailed prenatal ultrasound scan can reduce the need for conventional karyotyping as a complement to QF-PCR in most prenatal samples, offering rapid results and reducing parental anxiety and healthcare costs.